Part 1: You Silly Wooloo!
Update 1: You Silly Wooloo!(I know the pictures are really small in this update, I fix that by the next post)
Pokemon Sword & Shield - Title Screen Music
: Welcome, one and all!
: Our beloved Galar is a wonderful place, with thriving nature, beautiful cities, and many Pokémon with which we share our lives! As you know, our society is able to thrive, thanks to help from these mysterious creatures we call Pokémon.
: And those of us who choose to raise and train Pokémon to do battle and compete we call Pokémon Trainers! Oh! But Im getting carried away. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rose, and it is a pleasure to be here. Now turn your gaze to the Galar regions greatest Pokémon Trainer, your undefeated Champion its time for Champion Leons exhibition match!
The crowd cheers. Sparks fly up in a line to the center of the arena. In a flash, Leon appears.
: You know I dont lose battles, Raihan! Charizard, Dynamax!
Leon gestures, and his Charizard begins to glow. The audience gasps. It doubles, triples, quadruples in size, changing as it goes, until it reaches its maximum height.
Later
Postwick - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST
: Hello, hello!
Hop enters, followed by a Wooloo.
: Oh! That your flash new phone, Gloria? Were you watching Lees exhibition match on it? But you cant cheer him on with your hands full! You know the only way to properly cheer on Lee would be with his famous Charizard pose!
: Yeah, thats exactly why came running over to get Gloria! Never mind watching the match now! Ive got a recording at home anyway. I record all my brothers matches. Come with me, Gloria! He should be here any minute! And Lee always brings presents when he visits, so I wouldnt forget that Bag if I were you!
Yes, Bag is capitalized. For the uninitiated, thats your inventory.
: Now Ive got to run! See you at mine later!
And welcome to Pokémon Shield! Well sort of, this is the intro sequence. Now that we can move around, lets pop over into Glorias room
And were ready to go.
: Oh, dont look a treat! I knew that Bag would suit you. Now hurry along. Hop is waiting, isnt he? But remember no going into the forest for the two of you!
We walk outside, where Hop is waiting. He points and laughs.
: Hahaha! Have a look at you, Gloria! That old Bag looks like it could pull you over! At least we know that should hold anything Lee might bring, even if its as big as a Snorlax!
: Dont you dare insult it. Its a family heirloom, mate.
: If by family heirloom you mean your mum bought it at Tescos 10 years ago
Something slams into something else to the left.
: Hey! You silly Wooloo! I see what youre up to! Dont go using Tackle on the fencing! Now, you listen! No going past that fence! No! Everyone knows there are scary Pokémon living in the Slumbering Weald!
The Wooloo baas sheepishly, then goes back to slamming itself into the fence.
: Now that thats taken care of How about it, Gloria? Lets race! Bet I can make it to my house first, what with you lugging about that big old Bag!
And he bolts off, followed by one of the Wooloos that seem to infest the area. Welcome to Postwick, our very first town! If by town you mean a couple buildings down the road from a real town, that is. This place is the definition of picturesque countryside, and traveling through it we run into one of my favorite little features in this game:
They make animal noises when you pass them
Anyway, we head over to Hops house, which is a lot bigger than ours; theyve been putting the endorsement money into home-improvement, I guess. We enter, and apparently Hop was waiting for us in the foyer or something.
Hops Mum: There you are at last, Hop! Oh, and youve brought along Gloria. Hello, dear.
: Morning, Mrs.
: Yeah, yeah, but wheres Lee? Have you got him crammed in a cupboard?
Hops Mum: Hes still not here yet! For the hundredth time Honestly, Hop, you must learn some patience! Hes probably only just arrived at the station in Wedgehurst.
: Then thats where Im going! You know Lee is hopeless with directions. Ill make sure he doesnt get lost on the way!
Hops Mum: Oh, will you? Yes, that probably is for the best
: Youve got to come with, Gloria! Ill wait for you out on the route!
And so we go to meet him. We also say hi to his mother long enough to learn theyre setting up a barbecue when Leon gets back.
I really like the art in this game.
: Only remember, Gloria Wild Pokémon could come out of nowhere if you walk through patches of tall grass. Ive got my Wooloo with me, so Im ready for battles against wild Pokémon, course. But not you, Gloria! So well steer clear of the tall grass as we go.
Yes, you can get between the first two towns without entering tall grass, and in fact Hop nags you if you try to enter it; the first of the innovations that got this game criticism, I think, since it used to be you had to start engaging in the standard blood sports just to get to the next town over; this feels a lot less hardcore. Far as I can tell, the sequences here to show off the graphics a little bit. And really
If you walk up to this bus stop, your character will actually look up at it. Its the little things.
Anyway, we spend less than 60 seconds walking down the path until we spot a big crowd huddled around the train station. The train pulls in and Leon steps off.
Champion Leon's Theme - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST
: Hello, hello, Wedgehurst! Your Champion, Leon, is back! I promise Ill keep doing my best to deliver the greatest battles for you all to watch!
Crowd Member One: Its our unbeatable Champion! Leon, you and Charizard are the greatest!
: Well, thank you for that! I hope youll all carry on training up your Pokémon and never shy from battle! Then come challenge me for the Champion!
I see the exclamation points are a family trait.
Crowd Member Two: Were on it! Weve all been working on our battle skills just like youve taught us to, Lee!
Crowd Member Three: But that Charizard of yours is too strong for the likes of us to take on!
: Its true that Charizard is blazingly strong, but thats why I want the strongest of challengers to fill the gym challenge and come battle me!
Charizard yells something in Charizard. The camera cuts to Hop waving from over some dudes shoulder.
: Lee!
Leon grins.
: Hop! So, my number-one fan in all the world has come out of his way to pick me up! Look at you, Hop! I reckon youve grown exactly an inch and a quarter since the last time I saw you!
: Bingo! Thats the sort of sharp eye thats kept you undefeated so long, eh, Lee?
: Bingo? Really?
: Shush!
: And these bright eyes over there Its Gloria! Been a while! Heard back from your applications yet?
: Yes! I got word from Motostoke I got accepted to the Galarian History programme! Ill be going after I take the Challenge.
: Ha! Sounds about right. Good for you!
: Oh shit, dont let him ask me about
: Got you, mate. Your mum said shes whipping up a barbecue for us when you get back. Lets get out of here!
: If youre trying to distract me from asking about Hops situation, youll need to step up your game.
: Dammit! Sorry.
: Eh, worth a shot. Come on, Lee! And you, Gloria! Bet I can beat the both of you back home!
Hop skitters off.
: That Hop Always trying to live up to me, huh? With a proper rival of his own, I bet hed push himself to become something truly special
: Ill always be around to make sure everyone in Galar can have a champion time!
:
Leon drops any pretense of coolness and darts after Hop, who was waiting for him just off-camera. The camera pans up into the clouds and comes back down in Hop and Leons yard.
If you know anything about Pokémon, you can probably guess this is where we pick our first Pokémon. However, I have already decided were going to be using a Scorbunny named Bruce. I also need some advice from the patriotic Britons in the audience. As well soon find out, both Hop and Gloria are trying to get into university, but while Glorias grades are great across the board and she got in easy, Hop was a C or D student outside of a couple subjects he excelled in. I dont know how that would affect their respective chances when it comes to applying for schools, and I havent been able to make heads or tails of the system from quick Internet research. So the first person to explain how Gloria and Hop would get through the British university application system gets to name Hops starter, plus credit and a link in the OP!